1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for encapsulating electrical components by vortex sintering, and in particular an encapsulating process utilizing vortex sintering which leaves the component leads resin-free and prevents formation of fillets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art to encapsulate electrical components by vortex sintering, a process by which the electrical components are heated by induction by a high frequency field, and then subjecting the heated components to synthetic resin powder in a vortex bath to sinter the particles to the heated component. The adhering synthetic may be smoothed by a further heating process.
Processes such as the above known in the art encapsule the entire component, including electrical leads extending therefrom, so that before the leads can be electrically connected, the hardened resin covering the leads must be removed by scraping or other means. In the process of scraping or otherwise removing resin from the leads, the resin in the area where the lead joins the component is likely to be damaged, thereby destroying the moisture seal and frustrating one of the major purposes of such encapsulation. Such unwanted encapsulation of the component leads also results in wasted resin.
Additionally, when the component and the leads are both in encapsulation, a fillet results around the juncture of the lead with the component, which is subject to cracking and breaking when the lead is bent.